You're aware that with the invention of smart phones, people can be on the internet for a few minutes at a time, throughout the day? Internet usage doesn't mean someone is sat in front of a screen 24/7...

I've been a nanny for almost 14.5 years. Not that I think you actually care.

No, I report every cent I earn. I can earn up to $250 a fortnight on top of my pension and anything earned over that has half of it taken off the pension. If I were able to work (I think) 30 hours a week (which I can't) I would not be regarded as disabled.

You do realise it's possible to qualify for a disability pension but still be able to work part time?

I wish my heart condition and my lung condition and my arthritis were false: if they were I'd transfer to the Aged Pension anyway.

I was only joking. In the USA if your are on disability for physical reasons you are typically prevented from working at all as you risk losing the disability payments entirely. Good luck with your health conditions.

I have been gainfully employed and self supporting since I was 9 years old. I don't know any other way. I've been laid off a number of times and never had one dime of welfare or assistance. If you really want to work and make an honest living, it is out there just waiting for you.

By not being a burden to my parents by begging and crying for toys that they couldn't afford. I went out and earned the money to have those luxuries. I also contributed to the household finances in order to help cover the family food and shelter expenses. I never felt entitled like most people today feel. I suppose you are like Janet Jackson, "what have YOU done for ME lately?" I bet you are a leech to someone out there.

I haven't been a financial "leech" on anyone in my entire 71 years unless you count being a child and being supported very frugally by my parents. When I was married I earned more than my husband did and therefore contributed to his "leeching" off me. If you regard receiving government benefits as "leeching" I don't: I paid taxes for decades and think it's only fair that now I'm old and ill I should get some of that money back.

I'm still waiting to learn how you "supported yourself" at the age of 9 and what employment you "went out and earned" money for engaging in?

I had a paper route of over 100 customers at 9. That covered expenses which my parents didn't have to. And just what did you do until you were transferred from your parents care to your husband's care? I didn't think being a cheerleader paid anything back then. By the way, how long were you on welfare before you went on SS.

Cheerleader? Ha Ha, that's really funny, they didn't have them in Australia until some morons decided to copy the usa. I worked as a legal secretary and then law clerk from the age of 15. What do you mean by "SS"? If that's short for Social Security that an welfare are all the same system in this country.

I don't see why I have to justify my disability entitlements to you: it's hard enough getting onto DSP and if I've managed to convince them about ill health you can believe my conditions are genuine.

Its great I love it. I would suggest in the beginning making sure you have some money put away and to make sure you do your research on the broker you choose to work with. You really want people who know what they are doing to learn from and work with.

Work for myself, however, years ago, was a foster care caseworker. Came across several families who made foster parenting their main income, and largely found most to be inadequate caregivers and only taking in kids for the cash. I even filed a complaint about one. House was always a mess, kids didn't always go to school (school would call me to inquire), some were cramped in bedrooms, and the woman was, in short..a fat, disgusting pig. Very loud and overbearing. I had to report them.

I hated going to that house, she was an overbearing fat slob, and I saw enough to warrant the formal complaint. Also had a few older couples (who were more like grandparents than foster parents), "use the switch" on the kids, resulting in our immediate removal of the kid from the house. One older couple, despite my telling them..You can't do this, it's against the law, argued that it was the "only way to get through to the boy"..Nope..You're done.

Did have one, though. Sweet, beautiful, sexy blonde. I didn't care the trip was 2 hours each way..I just loved being with and around her. We'd go shopping for the kid during the daytime when I'd do my visit (the company paid for school supplies), and it often felt like a date, not a foster care visit. And she was great to the kid.

Diversification is my game. REITs? No more than 20%, and a good dividend track record would be mandatory. Generally, the volitility of REITs is higher than it should be. Suppose you could buy two on a down tick, sell one on an uptick when the price is BELOW the moving average. Sell two on an uptick, buy one on a down tick when the price is ABOVE the moving average. Volitility trading gets old. Fuck it - go play golf.

I don't write novels for money. But the novel I am writing is stuck. I have a problem writing drama. Also if you ever try writing you will realize almost everything has already been done in one way or another.

I have a friend who helps we with editing (I never edit my own work. I constantly rewrite it but never edit it.) and he is constantly pointing out how certain things I write have been done by this author or that author. Really frustrating.

I bet. I like writing and constantly think of subjects or story outlines and it seems it’s all been done or at least mentioned in another novel. I’m a Jack Reacher fan, and there are at least 5 copycat characters out there, all military or one kind or another, and all having the same physical characteristics. Good books, but I’m not sure why Lee Child isn’t suing everyone - probably a pain in the ass with an uncertain outcome.
Hope the novel gets unstuck - you can always introduce a character or question from this forum to inject some insanity.

She can't sue do to two facts. one, Jack Reacher is not completely original. And two copy write law states as long as there is at least one fundamental difference then it is considered a unique character. It could be as simple as a different name.